04 December 1998
(Senior administration official outlines U.S. goals) (520) By Jane A. Morse USIA Diplomatic Correspondent Washington -- The United States is hoping that the December 7-8 NATO meetings in Brussels will result in a clear agenda for the NATO summit set to be held in Washington, D.C., in April of next year, says a senior administration official. The official, who did not wish to be identified, briefed reporters December 4. First on the U.S. list of priority goals for the Brussels meetings is a "vision statement" for NATO's future role, the official said. "One of the things that we think is very, very important is that the April summit not be about the past.... "The object will be to speak to publics about what the future is about: Why should people spend money on this alliance? Why should they be interested in the alliance?" the official said. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will describe U.S. thinking on NATO's future role, the official said. The United States believes there is much work to do on NATO's "strategic concept," which was last revised in 1991, the official said. "We hope to have another revision ready for 1999," he said. And more focus needs to be placed on NATO's defense capability -- a capability that can support NATO's strategic concept, the official said. In this regard, the official said that the United States welcomes the declaration signed December 4 by Britain and France which calls for a bigger role for the European Union in strategic defense planning, a role that is backed up by credible military forces. The declaration, the senior administration official said, "is exactly the kind of thing we really welcome" if it means the Europeans will increase their defense spending and defense capabilities and maintain a clear connection with the Alliance. A greater European contribution will make it easier for the United States to remain engaged in European security, the official said. But, if the declaration is about "another institutional debate," then "it's not so good," the official said. U.S. officials have yet to fully assess the declaration, the official added. The official also said that the United States hopes there will be in-depth discussions regarding the development of a NATO strategy for combating new threats to the Alliance -- in particular, weapons of mass destruction. Another U.S. goal, he said, is to make sure that NATO's "open door policy" to new members remains in place. The December 7-8 events in Brussels include the regular fall meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers along with the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) at the ministerial level. In addition, there will be ministerial meetings of the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council (PJC) and the NATO Ukraine Commission (NUC). NATO -- the North Atlantic Treaty Organization -- will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year. Its members include Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and United States. The newest countries to be invited to join the Alliance are Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.